Churches and mosques stand side-by-side in Grozny
Published 26 July, 2007, 05:27
In Chechnya, mosques and churches are being restored after years of armed conflict. As life in the republic returns to normal, reviving the faith and trust between the two religious groups is seen by community leaders as an important task.
St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Cathedral in central Grozny looks new. For hundreds of Christians from the Chechen capital and surrounding communities it’s the only place where they can attend a service. In a republic which has a predominantly Muslim population there are very few places for them to worship.
Just three years ago the church lay in ruins. The roof was destroyed by bombs. People who came to pray had to stand in the pouring rain.
Just three years ago the church lay in ruins.
In the past decade, Chechnya has suffered two violent armed conflicts. They started with street clashes and grew into full-sized military operations. Dozens of buildings in the republic’s capital Grozny were destroyed as federal troops engaged in battles with militants.
Archbishop Feofan of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz is a frequent visitor to Chechnya. He says the republic’s leaders help a lot in promoting religious tolerance. But it will take much more to restore the trust between ordinary people.
Meanwhile Chechnya’s Muslim community is building its own places of worship. The Central Mosque of Grozny just a few hundred meters from the Christian cathedral will be the fourth largest in the world. More than 10,000 people will be able to attend service at a time.
Grozny’s skyline looks different now. No ruins, no battered churches. The federal government spends millions to restore the infrastructure. But although Mosques and Christian sites are being rebuilt, restoring the spiritual integrity in Chechnya completely – is something that might take much longer: years, possibly decades.
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